General information

Garmin Nüvi Track Hack

To convert the log files to GPX you'll need the small program that goes by the name wnutrak.

GPX track logging menu

Nüvi 205

On 3rd April 2009 dcnuvi and emmex, two users of the GpsPasion forum, discovered a new way to get to the (already known) hidden GPX track logging menu for some of the nüvi models.
Just go to the Where Am I screen (by tapping on the vehicle symbol in map view mode or selecting "Where Am I" in tools menu). Then tap on the words "Nearest", "Address" and "Junction" in the following order:

"Nearest" in "Nearest Junction" or "Nearest Intersection"

"Nearest" in "Nearest Address"

"Address" in "Nearest Address"

"Junction" in "Nearest Junction" or "Nearest Intersection"

This hack has been confirmed in the following model: 205.

Some firmware versions require a different key sequence:

v5.00: Go to the Where Am I screen (by tapping on the vehicle symbol in map view mode or selecting "Where Am I" in tools menu). Then tap in sequence near the corners of the location text box: bottom left, top left, top right, bottom right.

Nüvi 255

Nüvi 2x5

Nüvi 1490T Track Log Hack

Press and hold center the speedometer until the "Diagnostics Page" appears

Select "Diagnostic Logging"

Select "Start Recording"

Check "GPX" then press "Start"

Log file is located in the "\.System\Logs\gpx" folder with the file name YYYYMMDD_XXXXXX.gpx (track log is already in GPX format).

Note: the "\.System folder is a hidden folder on the device (will not show up on the root drive in mass storage) and so it is not on the memory card. You will have to type it in manually into the address bar (example "E:\.system\").

There are a number of similar hidden features on the 14xx series described in this post Nüvi Hidden Menus

Nüvi 2545

Same hack as for the 1490.

Convert

See Nutrak, which is GPL, has a Windows exe, Linux users must compile from source

SD Card size

Information from Garmin about the maximum SD card size of the automotive units. Requirement is that the device has the latest version of software. Information is dated 2011-09-26.

Waypoints

Similar to maps, a .gpx file containing waypoints can be copied to either the Nuvi internal memory or an SD card. In either case the file can be a name of your choice with a .gpx suffix, and placed in the Garmin directory. Be aware that the Nuvi will incorporate these waypoints into its internal list so if you later delete the custom .gpx file the waypoints will still be there and you'll need to clean them out some other way. Restoring a backup of the "Current.gpx" file (from before the waypoints were uploaded) does not eliminate them, which suggests the Nuvi has additional memory that is not exposed through the USB interface. The user interface does not provide a way to delete them other than a tedious one-at-a-time process.

Routes

Although you can upload the individual waypoints comprising your route, the Nüvi 50 does not seem to recognize the concept of a route other than the routes it calculates on its own. An uploaded .gpx file containing route data seems to be ignored, and the user interface does not have an obvious way to select a preprogrammed route anyway.

Capable of handling (albeit with slower searching) more than a million POIs.

Notes:

A /Map folder must be created on the device, into which supplementary maps named gsupmapx.img (where x is anything, including nothing) are placed.

Nüvi 200

Track logging only available in software version 3.40 as a hidden feature and was removed in later versions. Recording interval is always one second. Battery life supposedly 3-5 hours, tested to be at least 3 hours.

Megabytes of memory available for tracks; 10 000 points fit in a MB. Models with the smallest preloaded maps have even a GB of free memory.

Nüvi 2x5

Track logging available in software version 2.50 and 2.70. Recording interval is one second.
If connected to a Windows, Linux or OS X computer, the Nüvi 205 is shown as an USB mass storage device, the GPX file is located in folder Garmin\GPX\.

Nüvi 1370T

Nüvi 1390 T

Garmin Nüvi 1390 T pro tested. OSM Maps for Garmin (All in one Garmin Map) works fine.
Routing works fine (with some few strange shortcuts). Street name reading works fine. Normal logging works per default and is written in /GPX/Current.gpx. Diagnostic mode with logging can be reached via pressing the speedometer (see above) some five to ten seconds. The 1390 T has a slot for a micro-SD card, an 8 GB card works. The card has to be formatted with FAT32, so no files above 4 GB are possible.

Nüvi 1440

Garmin Nüvi 1440 tested with software V4.40. OSM Maps for Garmin works fine. Routing works fine, but it's not possible to enter addresses, so need to select from screen, or existing POIs.
Normal logging works per default and is written in \GPX\Current.gpx and \GPX\Archive.
Nüvi 1490T Track Log Hack above does work
Has a slot for micro-SD, at least 8GB works.

Nüvi 1450

Garmin Nüvi 1450 tested with software V6.10. Just plugged in SD-Cards (2GB and 4GB) from my other Garmin devices (60CSX/Legend HCx) in the available slot and it shows the map and does routing. Not possible to enter addresses.

Nüvi 1490T

Garmin Nüvi 1490T tested. OSM Maps for Garmin works fine. Routing works fine, but it's not possible to enter addresses.
Track logging available. Recording interval is one second.
If connected to a Windows, Linux or OS X computer, the Nüvi 1490T is shown as an USB mass storage device, the GPX file is located in folder \GPX\current.gpx.

Good Things

Micro SD card slot which supports at least 8GB SDHC cards (maybe even up to 32GB)

Bad Things

Track logging locks to the roads on the map.

Note: There is a hidden track log on this model. See hack above for 1490T to record without the "lock to road" feature.

Nüvi 2457, Nüvi 2495 and Nüvi 2589

Map is not visible when put into the /Garmin directory of the device. But when put into a /Map directory (create if not present) in the root directory, the map is visible. You have to go to Settings/Map&Vehicle/myMaps to enable the map.

Nüvi 2460LTM

OSM Maps for Garmin create with mkgmap are working even with routing
if stored as Garmin/gmapsupp.img on external SD Card.

In mass storage mode the device has got the usuall ./GPX and ./POI folders
were you can put waypoints and POIs which will appear in the unit afterwards.
It seems that it has no effect to copy tracks and routes to the ./GPX folder.
Normal logging works per default and is written in ./GPX/Current.gpx. Diagnostic mode with logging can be reached via pressing the speedometer (see above) some five to ten seconds. The 2460 LTM has got a slot for a micro-SD card.